FIRST PLATOON
FORTY SECOND FIELD HOSPITAL
APO 403
1 January 1945
SUBJECT: Chronological Report
TO : Commanding Officer, 42nd Field Hospital, APO 230
In compliance with Letter, Headquarters, First U.S. Army, dated 13 September 1944, and Field Message No. 2, S-3, 240th Med Bn, APO 403, dated 29 December 1944, the following Chronological Report for the period 1 Dec 44 to 31 Dec 44 is submitted:
From 1 December 1944 to 18 December 1944, the unit remained in the Chateau in Wiltz, Luxembourg in support of the 28th Infantry Division. Up to 16 December 1944, the hospital was not busy, and cared for only routine cases which were few in number. Admissions increased on the 16th, and 28 of the 34 admissions of this period were admitted after this date.
The hospital was located in the center of the enemy`s counterattack launched 16 December 1944, and by evening of the 17th, a withdrawal from Wiltz seemed imminent. Throughout the night and on the morning of the 18th, efforts were continued to obtain required transportation for moving the hospital unit, but without success. Only sufficient transportation for moving a part of the equipment and personnel was obtained, and on the evening of the 18th, 4 Officers, 8 Nurses, and 34 Enlisted Men, together with four (4) truckloads of equipment left Wiltz and reached Bastogne, Belgium. Due to the fact that there were 22 non-transportable cases remaining in the hospital, a detachment of 2 Officers and 18 Enlisted Men, as well as 4 Officers and 3 Enlisted Men of the 3rd Auxiliary Surgical Group, was left at Wiltz to care for them.
At 0230 hours, 19 Dec 1944, the platoon in Bastogne was forced to withdraw to Biourge, Belgium, and only transportation sufficient to carry the personnel was available, and equipment was left at Bastogne. Unit joined with Headquarters and Third Platoon here.
From 19 Dec 1944, the activities of the unit were confined to a succession of moves to rear locations in order to facilitate reorganization and replacement of equipment.
The following is a list of locations used for bivouac.
21 Dec 1944 - vP 0947, Carlsburg, Belgium
22 Dec to 23 December 1944 - vO 9826 Sedan, France
24 Dec to 31 Dec 19:44 - vO 9824 Balan, France
[signed]
LOUIS DANZIS
Major, MC
Commanding
SOURCE: National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 407, Records of the U.S. Army Adjutant General, World War II Records, 42d Field Hospital, June 1944-September 1945, Box 21532.
